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Thursday, March 29, 2007

Surviving Track Break.....

Two weeks almost down, one more to go. I am barely making it! It's so unlike me to have such a rough go. This one has just been exhausting! A constant barrage of kids in and out all day long. Jack is off his nap schedule because he either won't go to sleep or gets woken up half way through. I can't seem to ever just sit and veg or have some me time. It is constant cleaning up or entertaining or something. I just about lost it yesterday so a sweet friend took pity on me and took my 3 big ones today so I could do some shopping by myself. Easter shopping that is. My shopping excursions are very limited these days. But that's ok. I must say I do enjoy staying home. But I am definitely ready to lock myself in my scrapbook room for a serious retreat. Ya, right!
The kids seem to be going about every other day of absolutely hating each other. One day good, next one not so good. They are also not helping on the grocery budget. Every time we go we come home with way more goodies and snacks than I would ever buy in my right mind. I feel bad that we haven't done more fun things but I guess being home and playing with friends all the time should be fun enough right?
Some of the highlights of the last few weeks are as follows:

Bead up the nose, AGAIN. (Samantha said she forgot she wasn't supposed to do that)
Credit card stolen???? Fortunately we caught on quick, and so did our bank. Within 24 hrs.
More liquid spills than I can count
Net on tramp officially destroyed, hope broken bones aren't next
Lots and lots of chores
Jack learned to slide like a big boy
Forgot almost everyday that Samantha still has preschool...late late late!
Kristen is mopey because she wants to be in school
Oh and my sweet kids did bring me breakfast in bed one morning

I'm too tired to even bother with pictures, even though I know there are some cute ones in here somewhere.

Side note, the girls are in the tub right now and Samantha just tooted. Kristen has informed her that it's disgusting and not to ever do it again. Samantha is in out of control giggles and thinks she is neat stuff! Kristen is so disgusted with her. They are always good for a laugh!

Monday, March 26, 2007

It's March...






and we are swimming! It may be just a one time thing for now but enough to please the desperate cries to swim. With the 80+ degree weather we've had and a boost from the solar the pool warmed up to a whopping 79 degrees. Way to stinkin' cold for wimpy little me but nobody else cares. We warmed up the hot tub so Jack could get in on the fun. We've changed the pumps to run during the day again and I love the sound of the moving water in the pool. Maybe it's like those pheng shwe???? water fountains. Very soothing. (Dude I know I spelled that wrong but whatever, my spell check doesn't know either).

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

A Few Good Things




Been watching my garden like a hawk. Waiting for buds to come through and prove that the BIG FREEZE did not kill everything. The jury is still out on several plants and trees unfortunately but here are some new buds on our little orange tree. So happy to see that!


I joined a scrapbook kit club, got my first kit yesterday and was so inspired I took the first chance I had and whipped this little gem up. Scrapbooking is no longer about how many pictures I can get done but the artwork I make in the process. It is a real treat for me to create.


Obviously Jacks book is a good thing. The sweet little thing loves his books and likes to get real up close and personal.

Friday, March 9, 2007

SO BLESSED...

Last night was our Enrichment Relief Society Birthday Dinner. It was "A Night with Emma". And that it truly was. They started off with a slide show to music that had quotes from Emma about her life. Then a sweet sister in our ward dressed up as Emma (pretty impressive) and talked about her life and the experiences and hardship she's had. When I hear stories about the pioneers and the challenges they faced and their way of life I don't think I've really take it to heart. Part of me couldn't help think about how nice it would be to live such a simple life. Free from the worries of all this earthly stuff I seem to care so much about. Just to focus on what really matters, family and survival. But then I see the challenges and know that God saved me for these days because I could not do what she had to do. I am so grateful I have not been asked to do what Emma was asked to endure. The pure loss of children alone is enough to break me. I know as a mother her heart broke as much as mine would have.

For this I am sooooooo blessed:
I have 4 beautiful healthy children
I have a husband who comes home every night
I have always had a place to live
I have never had to run in fear for our lives
I haven't had to walk through a near frozen river in winter with 3 babies
Our lives have never been threatened
I haven't had to choose between my husband and my parents
I have not been asked to endure what Emma did

I'm sure the pioneers watch us and wonder in amazement how we live in these times just as I can't imagine theirs. But I am grateful for a Heavenly Father who knows me and knows what I can handle. I know this inspirational night will not stay with me for long, I am far from perfect, but at this moment I am so grateful for what the pioneers did to bring this gospel to us and for the many blessings I enjoy. I am challenging myself to be more mindful of what really matters. I do know what a blessing it is to be a mother and will try to be a better one.

This does remind me of a conversation I had with my sweet Nathan recently about what this world is coming to. The evil that surrounds us and how strong we have to be to survive it. This sweet big boy told me that he has challenged himself to keep the commandment to love thy neighbor. He told me that if everyone did this we wouldn't need the other commandments. He is so right, it all comes down to love. He said "Mom, I don't hate anyone right now, when someone makes me mad I just let it go." I told him I don't hate anyone either. I live for moments like these!

Thursday, March 8, 2007

IT'S OFFICIAL...






















He's a boy! Our little baby Jack Jack is proving to be 100% pure boy. As you can see he has mastered the slide climb. He thinks he is neat stuff with this trick. Loves to be in his room with big brother Nate climbing whatever he can. Here are a few other proofs of boy...

Loves rocks
Loves trucks/cars
Loves balls
Loves to wrestle
Suddenly hates to bathe
Thinks "stinky" is hilarious
And is already trying to eat us out of house and home

He is one tough cookie at a whopping 13 months!

Monday, March 5, 2007

Lesson of the Day

Don't drop your cell phone in the toilet.

Ya, that's right. And having insurance on your cell phone plan, not so impressive. Still have to pay a dumb deductible and send everything through the mail to get it replaced. And apparently when your in the middle of a contract you can't get the cheap phones. No, those are only offered with new contracts. So regular price is like $300 smackers! Ya right.

So the moral of the story is when your husband quits his job and becomes self employed that's when things fall apart. Here's the list of most recent tragedies at our house:

Broken DVD player
Broken oven
Broken cabinet door on entertainment center (that one involved some punishment to a certain someone)
Broken cell phone
Bike trailer is gonna have to require some duct tape or something, ghetto here I come
And this stinkin' computer is not runnin' so smooth tonight, hope we don't have a crash!!!

There's probably more but that is what comes to mind at the moment.
Did I say my husband is now self employed....

Thursday, March 1, 2007

Those Crazy Kids!




Oh the joy of being a child. The ability to play and imagine and be goofy. Last nights antics were aliens on the attack. These hats were some sort of protection for them. Nathan thinks he really had the girls conned. He whispered quietly to me, "Mom, they actually believe there are real aliens." Ya, I think they're smarter than that. Either way they were having a blast and hootin' and howlin' far too late in the evening. They eventually got the aliens to relocate to Russia.


Our little baby Jack Jack is a sniffer. He thinks it's hillarious. All you got to do is sniff at him and he runs with it. This is my best picture yet of him in action. Whats not to love.


I'm starting to mess around with my camera a little more and liking what I am learning so far. Slow and steady wins the race right?